Page 28 of Gone Before Goodbye
“It’s done,” he says. “MIMC has already issued your permit. What else?”
“I’d need two surgically trained nurses and one anesthesiologist.”
“Done.”
“I’d need extensive operating equipment and a sterile environment.”
“Done.”
“A fully equipped operating room.”
“Done.”
“I need to be indemnified in writing if anything goes wrong.”
“Done. Done. It’s all done.” He waves his arms impatiently. “Do you think we thought about doing this an hour ago? Let me also make it clear that we know you’re in heavy debt. So is your sister.”
Maggie is no longer surprised at what he knows. He works for a top-level Russian oligarch. There is little doubt that whoever is behind this has made sure to check all the angles before making this request.
“So?”
“So the moment you agree to do this,” Brovski continues, “that debt will be gone. Yours. And your sister’s. The malpractice suit filed against you? It will be settled.”
“How?”
Ivan Brovski just shrugs.
Maggie swallows. No more crushing debt. No more trials and depositions. How much is that worth?
A lot.
“Why can’t your client just go to a discreet clinic like this one?” Maggie asks.
“He doesn’t like to leave the house.”
“But he’ll have to leave it to go in for surgery.”
Brovski shakes his head. “We’ve built an operating theater in his home. It’s state-of-the-art.”
That term again.
Maggie takes her time, tries to play it cool.
“What do you say, Doctor McCabe?”
“I’ll need to stay for two weeks post-op.”
“Yes, of course.”
“That’s a fair amount of time for me to be away.”
“Ah,” Brovski says with the hint of a smile, “very good.”
She says nothing.
“Let me guess, Doctor McCabe: You’re not sure our paying off the debts is adequate compensation.”
Maggie shrugs. “What you’re asking me to do is pretty risky.”
